Importance of International Student
Recruitment for Albanian Higher Education
Ali Gunes[1],
Rozeta Al-RAWY[2]
International student recruitment
is essential to higher education institutions' internationalization and
financial sustainability worldwide. Thus, countries and universities invest
profoundly in recruiting international students when the fertility rate declines
sharply, causing the population to age worldwide. Likewise, Albanian higher
education institutions need international students for several reasons, such as
to improve academic quality and robust sustainability in the future. The benefits
and values international students might bring to Albanian universities include
but are not limited to the following perspectives.
Advantages of International Student
Recruitment
According to the news outlet published
in University World News on October 16, 2024, the Albanian Universities were supposed to
take 31,000 students during the 2024-2025 academic year, yet “almost half have
remained unfilled after two rounds of registration, which shows the continuous
decrease in the number of students in Albania,” attending the higher education.
As is the case everywhere across the world, one of the reasons is that “medicine
and the branches of technology and engineering lead the preferences in higher
education.” At the same time, “natural sciences or humanities programs are
almost at risk of closure.” For instance, in the 2024-2025 academic year, as
stated in the news, “Archaeology and cultural heritage are one of the least
popular programs at the University of Tirana, with only five registrations,
followed by environmental sciences, with six students.” The reasons for the
decreasing number of students are the sharply declining fertility rate and migration mainly to Western Europe. For
instance, Albania has the highest migration output in the Balkans. According to
the statistics released every year, the trend for
migration to Western European countries continues, and this trend seems to
continue if radial measurements are not taken and implemented increasingly.
Thus, it means that universities with social science programs, particularly
private higher education institutions, might face the issue of closure in the
coming years or decades due to a lack of students and, eventually, financial
stability.
In this respect, recruiting
international students to Albanian Universities may be a possible solution to gradually
emptying departments, mainly in social sciences. According to the research, around
8 million international students are willing to study overseas. In Albania, it
is good to see that this problem has been a concern of the country's top
management for a while, including the Prime Minister, the Speaker of the Albanian
Parliament, and the Minister of Education and Sports, who seem determined to improve
the procedures for internationalization and international student recruitment.
Another value international
students will bring to Albania is revenue generation. In the world,
international students are called “Factories without chimneys.” International
students often pay higher tuition fees than domestic students, which provides a
significant revenue stream for universities, helping them sustain financially
their academic and research activities. These fees help offset costs and fund
scholarships, research, and campus development. Also, international students
contribute to the local economy through spending on transportation, housing, food,
and other services. This can directly benefit the local community and the
university when the economic situation and declining funds for universities are
deteriorating worldwide. Hence, an increase in international students will
visibly contribute to both universities and the local economy in Albania.
Also, international students might
avail themselves of Albanian higher education and have a chance to achieve diversity and
global perspectives in education. For example, international students from
different countries and backgrounds might bring diverse perspectives and
cultures to the campus and enrich the academic environment. This diversity and
global perspectives foster global thinking and prepare all students to work in
a globally interconnected world by creating a more inclusive, dynamic campus
atmosphere. What is more, interactions among students from various countries encourage
international collaborations through the connections of international students
with their home countries, which eventually not only leads to new research
partnerships, cross-cultural discussions, and exchanging ideas but also helps
international students find jobs at the host countries and then local students
in the countries of international students.
In addition, a diverse student
body, including international students, increases the institution’s global visibility
and reputation. For instance, Albanian universities with strong international
programs, curricula, and credit systems will attract more attention and
higher-quality international applicants. This international perspective with a
strong international student presence can attract renowned faculty and
researchers, further improving the institution’s academic standing and research
capacity. Eventually, enhancing the institution’s academic standing and
research capacity will often bring different academic strengths, learning
methods, and problem-solving skills, enriching the classroom experience for
international and domestic students; institutions might improve their global
rankings and attract further investment in research and education.
Problems and Solutions
Several steps must be taken to
facilitate the recruitment of international students to Albanian universities
(public or private). First, there should be a robust determination and
willingness to recruit international students. I have recently attended several
high-level meetings with the participation of the top management of Albania,
and I am thrilled to see this determination, willingness, and enthusiasm in the
eyes of the participants. As long as this determination and enthusiasm
continue, it will bring about a shift of positive perception and then gradually
lead to the improvement of the international student recruitment procedures.
As per the areas to be improved,
the first one is that clear criteria which all universities across Albania can
unanimously apply for their recruitment should be prepared for admission and
registration of international students at Albanian Universities. These criteria
should be clear, understandable, and accessible to all international students
on the universities' or relevant offices' web pages. It will affect the
international students’ preferences and choices. There is no online guidance for
all countries, including admission and registration criteria. Clear online
guidelines, documentation, and accessible criteria to all international students
might ease the procedures.
In addition, there are no online
support services in developed countries. A possible solution to this issue is establishing
a dedicated online platform to assist international students with inquiries
about diploma recognition, visa procedures, accommodation, living conditions,
expenses, etc. For instance, WhatsApp or other “live” communication channels might
also be beneficial because speedy communication and straightforward and fast
information retrieval are essential for international students.
Besides, foreign
Certificates/Diplomas recognition results in obstacles and slows the process,
which annoys and frustrates both institutions and students. It mainly derives
from the lack of recognized/accepted foreign certificates/diplomas. A possible
solution might be to create an online list of all certificates/diplomas recognized by the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sports so students know if
their diploma is recognized before coming to Albania.
Another issue is the Matura Exam. The Matura Exam “is a high school
graduation exam taken at the end of secondary education in Albania. Students
who wish to go for higher education in Albania must have passed [the] Matura
exam.” The problem with the Matura Exam is that, like Albanian students,
international students from certain countries should also take it. But it is in
Albanian. The solution could be that the exam could be offered and conducted in
English, or the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sports might accept internationally recognized/accepted
university entrance exams,
such as the SAT, MCAT, LSAT, GMAT, GRE, Abitur, Baccalaureate,
etc. because these exams are recognized all around the world.
Moreover, international students
who want to register for master’s programs also face problems related to the registration
procedure. For example, the Albanian Ministry of Education and Sports requires
high school and bachelor documents and diploma recognition. A possible solution
to this issue might be to require only the recognition of Bachelor's documents
and Bachelor's diplomas to ease and facilitate the registration procedures of
international master’s students.
Finally, the following suggestions might
also be considered to improve and increase the number of international students
studying in Albanian universities.
·
Lately, the number of foreign families and high
school students living in Albania has exponentially increased. For this
category, Albanian high schools can provide clear guidance to
international high school students studying in Albania about the steps they
need to follow to continue university studies in Albania.
·
The Albanian Ministry of Education and Sports and
Universities can promote the Albanian Higher Education system and university study programs by participating in international education fairs, such as NAFSA and EAIE, and through the events organized by Albanian Embassies in different countries.
·
The Albanian government and universities can offer scholarship
opportunities specifically for international students to make studying in
Albania more attractive in collaboration with universities.
·
Universities can increase their international outreach
efforts to promote Albanian universities and the benefits of studying there.
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